Human rights activist and Convener of Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju, has criticised the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, for the rising security challenges resulting in kidnapping and killings in Abuja.
Adeyanju faulted the minister for blaming the insecurity on the council chairman and traditional rulers in the FCT.
The activist said the impoverished whose shanties were destroyed by Wike when assumed office as the FCT minister are behind the spate of abduction for ransom and killings ravaging the country’s administrative capital.
Adeyanju revealed this in a press statement made available to journalists on Friday, in reaction to the aggravating insecurity in Abuja, that has caused panic among Nigerians.
He said, “The safety and security of citizens should be of utmost priority for any responsible government, yet the FCT Minister, Nyesome Wike, bears a significant responsibility for the escalating insecurity in the capital city.
“It is disheartening to witness the nonchalant attitude displayed by the FCT Minister towards the security challenges faced by the residents of Abuja. Instead of taking responsibility as the Chief Executive Officer of the FCT, he was busy blaming Council Chairmen for traveling out of their Area Council just yesterday when he spent days partying and politicking in Rivers State himself.
“He has refused to actively address the pressing issues facing the FCT. He seems to be more preoccupied with politicking and engaging in power struggles in his home state of Rivers. This neglect of duty has left the people of Abuja vulnerable and exposed to the nefarious activities of criminals.
“Rather than adequately relocating these individuals and providing them with alternative means of sustenance, the Minister has callously sent them to the streets, exacerbating the desperation and criminal activities in the city.
“The Minister’s negligence and failure to address their needs and concerns have inadvertently created a vicious cycle of crime and victimization. It is important to note that, when the poor no longer have what to eat, they will eat the rich.
The legal practitioner, then, called on President Bola Tinubu to address the issue and hold Wike accountable for plunging Abuja into insecurity through inordinate actions, threatening that he would mobilise Nigerians to protest if the matter did not improve.
“I call the President to intervene and hold Minister Nyesome Wike accountable for the security challenges plaguing the FCT. It is imperative that the Minister prioritizes the safety and well-being of the people rather than engaging in personal political battles. The President must address the security situation in Abuja decisively and ensure that necessary measures are taken to safeguard the lives and property of its inhabitants,” Adeyanju stated.
“If the concerns raised in this statement are not urgently addressed, we, concerned Nigerians, will not hesitate to take to the streets in peaceful protests to demand justice and security for all. The lives of innocent citizens are at stake, and we will not allow their suffering to go unnoticed or unaddressed.”
Wike has been recently criticised by a majority of Nigerians since the assumption of office, following the demolition of some buildings in Abuja and engaging in other hostile policies.
He has also been enmeshed in a feud with his successor in Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, accusing him of fraternising his political foes.
“You cannot work, and people will begin to bring enemies; those who fought you when you were struggling for the person to be in office. Nobody does that,” Wike had said in one of the reconciliatory meetings.
